Introduction

The theoretical background for the usage of biofeedback in a Bioelectromagnetic Medicine treatment modality is quite interesting. Additionally, biofeedback, as defined by the National Library of Medicine MedLine database, is a process that uses instrumentation to give a person immediate and continuous signals of change in their bodily functions of which they are usually unaware. Biofeedback is reported to utilize the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) for input to the Central Nervous System (CNS) and various afferent CNS pathways to return to the site of original stimulation. This is concurrent with the idea that the nervous control of hemostasis is mediated by CNS components. Sensory input (PNS), integration and affector output (CNS) is the model of a reflex arc. The PNS is sensitive to the various types of changes in environmental cues and the receptors are varied accordingly. CNS integration involves other neurons. Ultimately, CNS affector neurons always impinge upon some type of muscle or glandular tissue: most importantly in the membranes of smooth muscle in secretory glands and in vessels that regulate blood flow.

The other CNS outflow is that of conscious volative muscle stimulation for the purpose of locomotion, tool handling, breathing and postural adjustments. Thus, the intended purpose of biofeedback is to bring into consciousness the awareness of changes in rheostatic processes and the ability to then voluntarily make adjustments to those same rheostatic processes not normally under conscious control. As this is the definition of biofeedback, many of the devices that reportably use biofeedback do so without any conscious awareness or volative control. All the action is at the level of normal reflex arc unconscious homeostatic processes and utilizes no direct conscious control by the operator other than placement of the device and timing of treatment. The device microprocessor monitors the response by the patient to the signals generated by the device and makes changes in the signal projected according to preset criteria. Thus, the device takes the place of the human in monitoring the homeostatic processes and adjusting the applied signal to affect changes in the rheostasis of the effected area.

Discussion

The means that living organisms developed in order to sense, integrate/coordinate and affect changes in the environment, whether internal or external, seems to be of three types, earliest to latest: 1. superconduction of electron pairs between all elements within the cell by the various kinds of polymers found in the cytoplasm and nucleoplasm of cells. Examples are proteins, nucleic acids and glucoproteins, especially those polymers that comprise the cellular architecture of the cell. 2. chemical substances that alter the dynamics of metabolic pathways of existing enzyme systems or cause new systems to be activated and 3. nervous reflex arcs.

The process of superconduction along the biological polymer chain is an outgrowth of a similar process that arose in polymers formed at the interface of aqueous systems. A combination of surface tension and the characteristic of systems at an interface to form ordered structures predispoded the formation of polymers at the interface that is the prototype for biological membranes. The sharing of Cooper Pairs of electrons along the polymer structure gives the structure the ability to enter into various reactions across the interface. The interconnectivity of and extent of polymer structure then determines the overall resonant frequencies the polymer is tuned to and the extent of its immediate influence as a resonant structure. It is the sum total of all the resonant frequencies of the various biological polymers that gives the "cell" it characteristic composite resonant signature or aura if you will. The ability to exchange Cooper pairs of electrons by biological superconduction via trans cell membrane biological polymers and a cells characteristic resonant frequency is what we are going to discuss further.

The next manner that proto-life systems and the eventually more complex subsequent living systems developed to detect changes in the immediate environment is by cell membrane surface inclusions composed of complex biological polymers tuned to various chemical substances in the aqueous milieu surrounding the "cell" and called "receptors". The evolution from proto-life aqueous systems to complex mammalian cell within an extracellular matrix took many long years and is still continuing. Substances and compounds with an aqueous hydration shell surrounding the molecule and inherent resonant frequency due to elemental orbital sharing en toto, i.e., dissolve solutes, are able to exchange Cooper pairs of electrons, singletons and other "valence" electrons with the cell surface receptors. This then may by various means not relevant to this discussion elicit changes within the cell in response to the alteration in types of substances interacting with the cell surface receptors.

The last means stated as the way an organism communicates within itself is via the neuron. A neuron is a specialized type of cell that is able to reach out and touch other neurons and selecive cell types at a distance from the immediate location of the neuron cell body by an extension of itself called an axon. Specialized portions of the cell membrane surrounding the nucleous of the neuron, called dendrites, interacts with other neuron axons, dendrites and cell membranes. Neurons form an interconnecting web of membrane component interactions that is likened to a network. The means that neurons effect change in post axonal stimulation of other neurons and cell is by special compounds termed neurotransmitters. So actually, neurons are specialized cells that dump a single neurotransmitter, of over 100 types, onto the surface of another neuron or specialized cell type and effect a chemical change in the local environment of the receiving cell membrane surface receptor complex. Why change something that already is established and works quite well?

Now a discussion of the extracellular matrix surrounding a cell within an organism is warranted. There are some 19 types of collagen with Type IV being that forming the stable extracellular matrix within which most of the various cell types of the body live. Collagen types are also part of specialized matrices such as that found in bone and catrilage, as an example. This extracellular matrix is secreted by tissue fibroblasts for the purpose of providing a medium for the structural support of the various tissue cell types and for a medium for the exchange of solutes, nutrients, wastes and fluids throughout the body. The interesting thing is that these collagen polymers are contiguous with other matrix polymers, structural components of cell surface membranes and deposited mineralized structural compounds, such as calcium hydroxyapatite of bone. There is no place in the body that is not in contiguous and intimate contact with one of the collagen types. Even more interesting is the fact that the cellular architecture of a cell is contiguous with the cell membrane components that are in contiguous contact with collagen. This contiguousity extends into the nucleoplasm across the nuclear membrane as well. Thus, there is no part of the entire body that is not capable of exchanging Cooper Pairs by biological superconduction at the temperatures of living organisms with any other part of the body no matter how distant! However, the processes of embryological development controled by the acupuncture "extra meridian" system unfold so as to compartmentalize tissue domains. These tissue domaines are apparent to anyone whom has butchered an animal for consumption or taken a gross anatomy course. Thus, some of the compartments have contact with other compartments only through the exchange of blood/interstitial fluid and nervous elements.

Communication by cells of one tissue compartment with those of other tissue compartments is then both aqueous and nervous if not by direct polymer superconduction through the meridian system. The meridian tracts of communication between elements of the whole are able to be monitored by aware individuals and the various biofeedback devices on the market.

For the purposes of this discussion, the use of biofeedback devices to affect a healing process utilizes the pioneering work of Dr. Reinhold Voll of Germany in the late 1940's, Yosio Nakatani of Japan in the early 1950's and the meridian theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) by the Qi Gong masters of some 2 to 3 millenia ago. The more recent work of Dr. Kuo-Gen Chen, Department of Physics, Soochow University, Taipei, Taiwan shows that the meridian system shows special electrical properties of current conduction, electromagnetic wave propagation and preferential directional flow. His evidence shows that the meridian system is the fundamental network for communicating biological matter, energy and information. The meridian system is particularly important to the early stages of the unfolding embryological development of living organisms, see here for details. It is the meridian system that coordinates and integrates the rapidly multiplying cells of the embryo and guides them to their ultimate tissue compartments before the appearance of the circulatory and nervous systems. The meridian system retains its ancient properties and is not "pipe-like" due to the nature of the extracellular matrix. Dr. Chen states that this is why the meridian system is the most "tunable" network in a living organism. It is the meridian system that allows both diagnosis and treatment of the organism. The openness or obstructedness of these physiological communication routes that are named the meridians and collaterals are the direct underlying cause for health and illness in the body. It is the special electrical properties of the meridian system allow for what is termed the "Electrodermal Analysis" or EDA.

So, we have a system in place that uses the superconductive properties of biological polymers to communicate with the entire body as a whole through the various interfaces that tissue compartments make to each other. This system is able to be influenced by various means, one of which is biofeedback. The next question to ask is what is the nature of this system? It is the opinion of the author that this system is the same system that guides the overall development of the organism from zygote to birth to death. The system responsible for development is also responsible for healing. Healing by definition is a bringing back to wholeness. The meridian system is the means that this wholeness is maintained. Any derangement of the "whole" from its natural state, as determined by the genetic alelles that code for the "whole" pattern of the individual at any point in its timeline, will initiate the developmental processes to bring the tissue that is "deranged" back into harmony with the whole. This is the healing process.

EDA is currently found in two distinct formats: Ryodoraku and Electrodermal Screening Test (EDST). Ryodoraku is the development of the early work by Y. Nakatani of Japan. The EDST is the current outgrowth of the pioneering work of R. Voll of Germany. EDST is by far the most popular format as it most closely adheres to classic TCM meridian theory. Both use what is essentially at first a skin conductivity meter and then a low current and voltage injector. In both cases, the technician is the monitor and applicator of biofeedback until a certain desired value in conductivity is obtained. Recently, in Russia, there have been developed a series of devices that are based on what is called a Self Controlled Neurologic-Adaptive Regulator or SCENAR, go here for more information. These instruments are completely microprocessor controlled biofeedback devices. Anyone with very little skill may utilize them to great effect.

Conclusion

The basis for use of biofeedback instruments for the purpose of achieving a desired healing effect has been discussed. All devices use the meridians of TCM as the means to affect healing. The results of bettering the health of afflicted persons has been confirmed by many research studies. New equipment utilizing biofeedback principles to aid in healing are appearing on the market monthly. These devices are becoming standard clinical equipment in the many forms of providing health care.